JONESBORO, AR - Under clear skies, bright lights and an electric atmosphere at Liberty Bank Stadium, Braves fans were privy to an extraordinary display of school spirit, fireworks illuminating the night and Southern hospitality at its finest. The Red Wolves not only welcomed the visiting Braves to their campus but a host of high school students as well, whereas this game served as their High School Band Day.
With the atmosphere fully charged with Red Wolves pride, the Braves silently made a statement of their own with freshman quarterback
John Gibbs starting under the center, freezing the scoreboard at 0-0 for the first six minutes of play. With the offense and defense clicking on all cylinders, the opening series saw Gibbs connect with
Joe Price for five yards and quarterback keeper with Gibbs rushing for fifteen yards rounding out the series was a thirty-five yard punt by
Marcquiso Jean. Prior to going three and out the Braves managed to get off six plays for twelve yards in 3:02. The defense proved to be show stoppers early on holding A-State to five plays and eighteen yards in their opening series in 1:27.
After an impressive start, the Braves switched quarterbacks to rookie
Jordan Payne hailing from Racine, Wisconsin. Upon completing a pass to veteran receiver
Terrance Lewis for a loss of four yards, Payne was sacked for a loss of eleven yards fumbling the ball with a recovery by Red Wolves' Ronnell Wright as he found the end zone seven yards later with 9:02 remaining on the clock in the first quarter. With the offense leaving much to be desired, A-State's next scoring drive was quickly approaching their blind side with David Oku leading the way. Facing first and goal with 1:56 left in the first quarter Oku takes it in on a twelve yard rush, giving the Red Wolves a 14-0 lead.
At the end of one, the Braves recorded twenty plays for eighteen yards and A-State finished the quarter with fifteen plays for one hundred ten yards.
The second quarter was underway with Gibbs rushing for three yards before being taken down by Kyle Coleman and Eddie Porter. Five plays and fifteen yards later it was Arkansas State's ball with Oku on the ground attack and all Ryan Alpin with the air attack. With the clock reflecting 12:25 Alpin completed a pass to J.D. McKissic for thirty-three yards, plus seven with the PAT by Brian Davis good the score advanced to 21-0. Luke Ferguson sixty-five yard kick was returned twenty-four yards by
Tollete George before Lewis rushed for fifteen yards picking up the first down. However, Gibbs pass was intercepted eventually setting up an Oku touchdown making the score 28-0.
Winding down the first half, A-State managed to reach the end zone two more times with scores from Julian Jones and Kedric Murry going in at the half with a score of 42-0. Before the clock clicked down for the half, the Braves had one last chance to get on the scoreboard however they missed the field goal on the foot of
Ernesto Santillan.
At the half, the Braves recorded thirty-five plays for fifty-seven yards of total offense and A-State had thirty-six plays for three hundred forty-five yards.
The Braves started the second half with a fifty-one yard kick by Santillan to Rocky Hayes for a return of thirty-one yards. With first and ten Hayes rushed for an additional five yards before being stopped by
Jamison Knox and
Jermaine Turner on second and five. Shortly thereafter, it was all Braves defense with tackles being recorded for
Casey Freeman,
Carrington Aloese,
Brandon Thompson,
Tim Carter and
Donovan Hill. Towards the end of the quarter, the Braves defense let up giving up seven points making the score 49-0 with twenty-four seconds left on the clock before the start of the fourth quarter.
At the end of three the Braves had run fifty-two plays for one hundred twenty one yards of total offense to A-States' fifty-two plays and five hundred two yards.
The fourth quarter was all A-State and Rod Smith. He accounted for six first downs before finding the end zone on a six yard rush with the clock at 8:39 giving the home team a 56-0 lead. Nine plays, forty-nine yards later the clock struck zero and the firework show illuminated the night advancing the Red Wolves record to 2-2 while the Braves fall to a 1-3 record on the season.
At the end of four the Braves had run sixty plays for one hundred thirty yards and A-State had seventy-two plays for six hundred thirty four yards.
"There are some things we still need to clean up, today was evident of our continued struggle to execute on every down," said head coach
Jay Hopson. "I thought their guys played hard and competed for four quarters with a mental and physical toughness," added Hopson.
The Braves next outing is Homecoming on September 29 at Spinks-Casem Stadium as they take on the Hornets of Alabama State University . Kick-off is slated for 2:00 p.m.
